Lagos shanty demolition: Fear grips Ikola Hausa community residents over relocation

Fear has gripped residents of Ikola in the Agbado-Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos state, following demolition of shanties and other informal structures beneath high-tension electricity lines, barely two days after a communal clash reportedly left four people dead.

The demolition, being carried out by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), in collaboration with the police and Rapid Response Squad (RRS), is aimed at removing structures located within the statutory right-of-way of high-voltage transmission lines.

However, the exercise has heightened anxiety among residents, who expressed fear that the displacement of occupants could create fresh tension if adequate security and relocation arrangements are not made.

A resident, Mr Adewale Omoboriola, said the priority should be to prevent another outbreak of violence.

“We want peace in this community. The government may have reasons for the demolition, but people are worried about what could happen next. We need security agencies to remain here and prevent anybody from coming back to attack innocent residents,” he said.

Another resident, Mrs Hauwa Ibrahim, urged the government to provide clarity on the whereabouts of people displaced by the demolition.

“We don’t want another crisis. If people have been relocated, the community should know where they were taken to and what arrangements were made for them. Security should also be strengthened because nobody knows what may happen next,” she said.

The latest intervention followed a violent confrontation reportedly triggered by a disagreement involving a tricycle rider and suspected area boys over alleged N200 demand. The confrontation subsequently escalated, with buildings reportedly set ablaze and casualties recorded.

While the police initially reported three deaths, LASEMA later put the death toll from the communal clash at four.

LASEMA permanent secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said affected residents were given adequate notice to evacuate and retrieve their belongings before the demolition.